Tom Slingsby Strengthens ISAF Sailing World Cup Laser Standings Lead

Skandia Sail For Gold Regatta

Weymouth, Great Britain

Australia's Tom Slingsby brought an eight point lead into the final day of the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta, the penultimate regatta on the ISAF Sailing World Cup series, and after finishing second in the Medal Race he comfortably won the gold medal.

The Australian was the favourite coming into the Medal Race with Andrew Murdoch (NZL) and Paul Goodison (GBR) hoping that Slingsby would slip up. But Slingsby remained at the front of the fleet throughout the Medal Race to sail to his second consecutive ISAF Sailing World Cup gold medal following the Delta Lloyd Regatta.

Slingsby's gold medal has given him a six point lead over Nick Thompson (GBR) in second and a ten point advantage over Goodison in third in the Laser Standings. And with one regatta to go it is hard to see how anyone can overhaul the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year who has finished on the podium in every ISAF Sailing World Cup Regatta he has sailed in.

The Laser Radial Standings are slightly tighter after Skandia Sail for Gold. Like Slingsby, Marit Bouwmeester has won two ISAF Sailing World Cup Regattas in a row following her victory in Medemblik, the Netherlands. But despite back to back regatta gold medals the Dutch girl sits one point behind Evi Van Acker (BEL), who leads the Laser Radial Standings on 75 points, following her second place finish in Weymouth.

Veronika Fenclova (CZE) entered Skandia Sail for Gold third in the Laser Radial Standings, but an 18th place finish has seen her slip out of the top three. Taking her place, on 68 points, is New Zealand's Sara Winther who finished ninth.

In the Star class Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) have clinched the ISAF Sailing World Cup title after they won gold at Skandia Sail for Gold. With further regatta victories coming at US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR, Semaine Olympique Française and the Delta Lloyd Regatta they clinched the title with a regatta to spare.

Ben Ainslie (GBR) and Giles Scott (GBR) continued their battle in the Finn at the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta. And it was Ainslie who got the better of his Finn rival in Weymouth claiming gold to Scott's silver. Ainslie has 80 points in the Finn Standings with Scott on 76. Fellow Brit Ed Wright trails his team mates in third on 70 points.

In the Men's 470 Pierre Leboucher and Vincent Garos (FRA) won the Medal Race and gold medal in Weymouth. But with the second discard coming into play Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page (AUS), on 78 points, have opened up a two point lead over the French duo in the Standings after the Australians won the silver medal.

Penny Clark and Katrina Hughes finished tenth at Skandia Sail for Gold, nonetheless, with 65 points, the British girls maintain their lead in the Women's 470 Standings. They lead Giulia Conti and Giovanna Micol (ITA) by four points after the Italians finished sixth in Weymouth.

Skandia Sail for Gold bronze medallists Camille Lecointre and Mathilde Geron (FRA) have moved from seventh to third in the Women's 470 Standings with 59 points.

ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Blanca Manchon (ESP) has jumped to the top of the Women's RS:X Standings on 63 points after she finished sixth in Weymouth. But the star of the ISAF Sailing World Cup Women's RS:X this year has been Marina Alabau (ESP) who has sailed in three regattas and walked away with three gold medals. She sits in second on 60 points and Bryony Shaw (GBR) is third on 57 points.

Following his bronze medal in Weymouth Dorian Van rijsselberge (NED) has reclaimed top spot in the Men's RS:X Standings. His 58 points gives him a one point advantage over Great Britain's Nick Dempsey. The Brit, who won gold at the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta, has moved from eighth to second place to trail the Dutchman by the narrowest of margins with one regatta to go. In third on 55 points is Israel's Nimrod Mashich.

Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) has moved to the top of the ISAF Sailing World Cup Women's Match Racing Standings on 75 points after she defeated Lucy Macgregor (GBR) 3-0 in the Match Race Final. Sally Barkow (USA) is equal with Tunnicliffe after her third place finish in Weymouth making for a fascinating finale at Kieler-Woche, the final ISAF Sailing World Cup regatta. And Claire Leroy (FRA) trails the Americans by four points in third.

If there was a common thread to the five Medal Races on the final day of the 2018 World Cup Series Miami, USA, it was that the hard work put in earlier in the regatta proved the decisive component in determining the champion.

With five sailors in striking distance of the gold medal and seven mathematically alive for a podium position, the Medal Race for the Women's RS:X at the 2018 World Cup Series Miami, USA, was projected to be the most exciting of the five Medal Races scheduled for the penultimate day of the regatta.